Client Onboarding Strategy & Governance Lead

Overview

In this role you will establish and run a disciplined operating cadence for client onboarding and periodic review, ensuring defensible outcomes and robust controls. You will act as a central coordinator across Front Office, Operations, Technology, Risk, Compliance and Financial Crime to progress decisions and remove blockers. You will maintain a joined-up view of BAU and change activity, with clear risks, dependencies and actions. The role also partners with the financial crime framework review to translate recommendations into concrete, trackable outcomes. This is a London-based senior governance role that supports FCA-aligned governance and control standards.

Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain an operating cadence for onboarding and periodic review governance, including calendars, RAID logs, decision logs and action trackers.
• Provide a consolidated view of delivery across BAU and change, highlighting risks, bottlenecks and decisions required.
• Coordinate with Front Office, Operations, Technology, Risk, Compliance and Financial Crime to progress decisions and remove blockers.
• Plan and run governance forums (onboarding/KYC, approvals, escalations) and manage agendas, papers and attendees.
• Record outcomes with decisions, rationale, approvals, conditions and actions; drive follow-up and accountability.
• Strengthen MI and reporting, ensure data quality and consistent governance outputs.
• Coordinate remediation tracking and readiness for audit/regulatory engagement with clear ownership and milestones.
• Serve as the primary business partner for the financial crime framework review and translate recommendations into BAU/change actions.

Key requirements

• Experience in financial services or regulated environments with governance, delivery coordination, controls, MI and stakeholder management.
• Proven ability to run a structured delivery cadence with action tracking, dependencies, RAID logs and governance rhythms.
• Strong understanding of governance, control standards and defensible decision-making in a regulated environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication for governance packs, status reports and decision materials.
• Attention to detail, judgement and handling of sensitive information; comfortable engaging with senior stakeholders.
• Ability to operate across BAU and change with balance of momentum and control discipline.

• stakeholder management
• clear communication
• problem-solving
• governance frameworks
• management information (MI) and reporting
• risk and control processes

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